Theater



y 19, 1932- A. J. MOULTON 1,868,068

THEATER Filed May 5 Sheets-Sheet l F/mz Jwuewtoo fim THU/E J/Yam ro/v dbtomwq 4 July 19, 1932. A. J. MOULTON THEATER I5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed May 4, 1929 y 19, 1932- A. J. MOULTON THEATER Filed May 4, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/d4 F766."

9 6 TH 11/2 J Mom 70 Patented July 19, 19 32 UNITED T TES P TENT YOFF ARTHUR J. MOULTON, or IsLIP,I1\TEw- YORK IITHEATEEBIJ,

Application fired my 4, i929, Serial No. 360,516,-and in FrancehQctob er 31', 1928.

My invention relates to theatrical, appliances and more particularly'has reference to theaters having a circular revoluble' auidl-v BOIIUIH'SUII'OHIIdGd. by a stationary annular stage.

The conventional theater construction,

wherein changes of scenery andsetting on the stage are accomplished by the echelonment in depth of "a series of side-sliding panels disposed behind a main drop curtain, is attended With certain obvious disadvantages, among the more important-of which may be mentioned the" following.

' What is more serious, it is time-consuming and necessitates an lntermission 1n the actlon Since essentially the'same stage area is,

used for all scenes and settings, a change of scene can only be accomplished by dropping the main curtain, cutting off theVlQW of the audience from the stage, and thenshift ing the scenery by side-slidingpanels and physically moving the various articles co nstituting the setting on the stage. Thisis not only a laborious and fragile process, but

of the play every time a change of scene occurs. Such lengthy intermissions, accompanied by the unavoidable nolse on the stage,

due to changing the scenery and settings, not only interrupt the continuity of the play but greatly mars the, enjoyment of the audience by tediousperiods of inaction.

Also, in the conventional type of theater,

wherein the auditorium and stage are completely enclosed in a single building, adequ ate ventilation and fresh air are serious ,1 and unsolvedproblems, especially during hot Weather. a I I I Another serious defect of the conventional type of theater is the enormously high ceilin g over the stage for the accommodation of drop curtains, a form Which is contrary to the laws of acoustics. V r i It Was to overcome these disadvantages existing in the pr1orart,and to achieve. other objects which will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. that I have conceived this invention.

An object of my inventionis toconstruct a theater wherein a series of scenes and settings maybe presented to the audience Withing entractes.

out the necessity of" changing scenery and setting during the performance.

' 'Aiiotherobject of my inventionis to pro- I vide a theater noiseless in itsoperationso that a change of scene canbe accomplished quickly and quietly Without any of the usual 7 method ,of moving the scenes and settings of the stage before the eyesofithe spectators.

Still another object of my invention'is to, v

provide a theater wherein adequate ventilation of thefauditorium may be obtained dur- 'Yet another object ofmy invention is to providea theater ofthe best possible stage acoustic properties. I I a A'still further object of my invention is toprovide a theater so arranged as to'present natural "out-of-door scenes under the open sky from the same auditorium usedfor'the' f panoramic stage. i With these other objects in view'which may be incident to my in1provements,the in I vention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter'set forth andclaimed,

with the understandingthat the several nec essary element's comprising my invention may be varied 1n construction, proportions and arrangement, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

inventioncontemplates jbroadly a $5 theater in- Which a circular. auditoriumis surrounded throughithe or portion ofits circumference by a coveredstag'e, with the remaining portion left open to the sky, thereby, I

constituting natural scenery for .open air performances. I I

This circular auditorium. is constructed upon a flat-bottomed structure of approximatelythe same diameter, and floating in- I water, orother liquid,c'0ntained in a suitable reservoir. I I I y I I This auditorium is maintained at a constant level relation to the, surrounding stage by means'of automatic valves, contained Within a ge vertical tube situated in'the axis of rotation. These valves are operated by the 'up and down motion, of the aud1-' toriun caused by the varying weight of the spectators, allowing waterto run in or'out of the surrounding reservoir or the float itself indirect proportion thereto, This float is 1 7 'made to rotate about its central axis, by, means of water reaction against the' walls of the reservoir or by some'other suitable mechanical means, thereby bringing the spectators opposite any desired p.ortion= of .theinedoor and out-door stages, the latter being also 7 used during the entractes to ventilate th-e diameter of' which-is approximately equal thereto, and falls to the stage floor ,throughj out its entire circumference, forming the half canbe withdrawn to: any desiredamount V until the two halves are made to-occupya I zone back of the. spectators of approximately one third .of fits' entire circular length, thus givi'ngan uninterrupted view of the entire .in-door stage.

[The' rails from which the curtain is suspendedcanbe rotated bysuitable means in a manner and at a speed coinciding with that o'f-the auditorium, therebyikeepingthe. above mentioned split, which forms the opening to the stage, always opposite the spectators. V The ceilingover the stageand that over I i withdrawn, ranfluninterrupted surface of practically ;parabolic form in conformity the auditorium form, when the, curtain .is

,with the laws ofacoustics. This shape also lends itself to the proj ection of uninterrupted sky effects over both stage and auditorium.

V f Q In "order to .make my invention more clearly understood,1 have shown .in the accom- I -p,anying drawings meansfor carrying the "same: into practical .efi'ect, without limiting ;,the improvements'in their useful application to the particular- .constructions, which, for the purpose oflexplanation, have been made thefsubje'ct (Sf-illustration.

V thedrawings: v i

Figure v 2 is a horlzontal sectionfalong the line 2--:2 of Figure 1, looking in .the direcwtijon of thearrows;

V Figure Sisafragmentary section-alongthe line 38 of Figure 1, looking in ,the direcation' of the arrows.

Figured is a fragmentary vertical section V -of a portionofthe ceiling and roof to' show certain detailsof the curtain suspensiongconstruction.

- Figure 5 isa fra mentary section along the lin e.5 5 of Figure 4.. v

- Figure 6 is .a fragmentary horizontal section. along the liner6,6 of Figure 4.

' stalled a plurality of electric motors 19 geared to waterpropellers 2O, which are adapted to Figure 1 is a glongltu'dinal :vertical 1 section- 'of:,m:yiimproved theater.

I Figure is a fragmentary vertical section along the line 7-7 of Figure 4.

' Referring tothe drawings, in which like f .torium 1, surrounded by astationary 'annu-V lar stage 2, 'The auditorium 1 is provided with a'fioor 3 having a series of arcuate rows .of seats 14, arrangedas shown Figure 2 and echeloned in elevatlon as ndicated n Fig- 1 'ure' 1.

It will be appreciated that while, for simplicity I haveshown-only one/floor, 3, for seats, additional balconies:andjgalleries'could readily be. added above this floor, as in conventional'theate'rs. In front-of the seats 4:

7 are the usual orchestrapit 5:3,I1d pI'OSC8I1lHm6. walls of saidvauditorium. This curtain: is split from, the ceiling to the floor, and each Beneath the floor 3 are a plurality of stain cases ,7 ,and 8 leading to a plurality of entrances or exits 9" and 10 which communicate leading to Va number, of "rooms which may be usedas smoking rooms, toilets, a clinic, a printing room, a press roomlandvotherauxiliaries of a theater} fBelow the ground'floor :18, the",

entirefauditorium is constructed as a cylindrical water-tightunit with impervious walls .1 6 andintegral bottom 17; Surrounding the auditorlumbelow the ground level isa large 7 water-tight tank; or pool 18 in which .is con- ,stantly maintained a suflicient'level'of water to float the wholeauditorium 1. On'the.bot-' tomJfioor 17 ofthe-auditorium there are-,-in-.

rotate in the wat'er'in pool"18 and by their reaction revolve the auditorium about its,

central vertical axis; In order to ren-derthe iimpulseof the propellers 20 more efiective,

pool .18 is provided with a series ofradial baffles 21vattached to its outer wall and'extending inwardly to a closeproximity'toapropel1ers20; V,

, [In order to maintain the floor l13'an dproscenium 6 at: the exact levels'of the ground and stage respectively under different loads onthe auditorium, a central control station 221is provided in the basement of the auditorium', T his connects through conduit '23 withpumps and valves (not shown) which supply more vor less water to tank 18 through pipe 24: upon operation of, control valve 25.

It isobvious thatwhen-more water is pumped 25,-auditorium 1&canjbe made :to maintain its into tankilS, greater buoyant effect is ex- 'lertedupon the auditorium 1 and'it will tend level with the ground and stage for any allow.-

able load. By making the outer "walls of au- 'ditorium 1, smooth, andbringing themQwithin close working proximity ;.-to fthefencircling stage walls to properly. center theljfioating structures, and prevent scraping when in motion. 1 1 A T The stage 2 is enclosedforapproximately three-fourthsof its circumferenceby an encircling back wall 26 and wing walls 2?. Behind wall 26 are constructed a series of dressing rooms, vestib-ules and other stage auxiliaries on a plurality of: floors, denoted generally by the reference numeral-2 8, which communicate wit-hstage 2 .by a plurality of doors. The remaining quarter sectionof the" stage 2 consists of an openair or outdoor stage 29- arranged as a garden or other suitable landscape, and supported .at stage' level by a masonry floor 30. i

From the foregoing description-it is, ob

vious'that by rotating the auditorium- 1 the spectators may bebrought opposite the open air section to View open air. -performances amid natural scenery. Thisalso permits ventilation ofthe theater between the regular acts on the indoor stage. 5

The indoor stage '2 is covered with an acoustic false ceiling 31,0f parabolic vertical section, which merges with a rotatable acoustic ceiling 32 above the'auditorium so as to present an uninterrupted surface of substantially parabolic configuration conformity with the laws of acoustics: This shapeof coiling also lends itself to the projection of-uninterrupted sky effects over .both sta-ge and auditorium. i I, I

Rotatable acoustic ceiling 32 is circular in plan and is supported justbelow the permanent ceiling 88 of the'theater by a series of ,rollers 84 attached to an annular flange 35 integral with ceiling 32, which rollers travel.

on .a track 36' mounted-uponlan annular cur tain wall 37 integral with roof 38of the theater. (See Figure In order to center the rotation of ceiling 32 about the vertical axis of the auditorium, a. series of auxiliary rollers 39' are attached to flange 35. and bear upon the track 40 attached to the'suspension wall of ceiling 33.

Between the auditorium and the stages I g 2 and 29 is suspended from revolvable ceiling 32 a two-piece circular curtain 41 which is adapted to completely surround the'auditorium 1, and thus cut off, from the spectators therein any view ofthe indoor stage 2,0r outdoor. stage29. Curtainll is made of-any suitable textile materialjand may even .be

"=" made of asbestos fabric,n ot too stiff to drop in er surface of, auditorium and the encircling folds when drawnaback. Curtain 41 is supported at'short intervals alongthe entire periphery of its upper edge by links .42 attached to-stirrups 43 mounted uponfrollers la which roll along a track 45 fastened toceiling 32 by .a series ofbrackets 46. Y

Rollers 4A are maintained equispaced from i each other by a continuous pair oftoggle arms 47 which are, pivotally attached to each stir-, rup 43 and to a central fixed bracket 48 riveted to track 45at apoint diametrically ope.

posite to the'center of proscenium 6.; A-portion of thestirrups43 carry opposite toggle arms 47, a bracket to which is fastened a plurality of continuous pull ropes 49 which are carried on a series of rollers 49Qaround the" outer periphery of ceiling 32 and through a central channel 50 thereof. Pullropes 49 at some convenient concealed point in ceiling -32 are connected to an operatlng remote con trol. mechanism (not shown) so that curtain 41 may be manipulated from an operating station-at the back of the stage. l

The rotatable ceiling is operated-by electric motors (not shown) 'thespeedof'which are governed automatically by the speed of the auditorium so as to maintain at all times the same relation between these two components. However, instead of rotating the. celling .32 by means of motors, as just =described, a

construction such as that employed in Figures 1 .4-and5 may be used. By such a construction there isattached to'the fixed bracket 48 on the ceiling and outsideof the curtain l l, a

bracket or rod 51, whose lower end is secured to the wall of the rotatable auditorium 1 in any convenient manner. Hence, rotation of the auditorium is transmitted to the ceiling 32 and causes the ceiling and curtain; to ro-f tate at the same time and speed. As the ceiling, curtain'and auditorium revolve always at the same time andspeedthereby giving the spectators the illusion that they remain stationary while the stage 2 passes be- .fore'them. H 9' 7:.

There is no framedefining the opening of i' the curtain in front-,and consequently nothing limits the separation ofthe two halves of the v curtain except the construction of toggle arms.

l7, which are designed to permit of thecurtain of at least 240.

an opening Since the curtain-41, which maybe made heavyfandthick, extends from the floor of. thestage 2 to. ceiling '32 and moves as a unit -'with the latter, it forms, soto speak, the

walls of the auditorium and it absorbs all the sound waves" which strike it and prevents any echo effects'. This construction,together. with my novel parabolic sound reflectingceiling 31,- gives to my'theater'very superior l acoustic properties. V g 7 From the foregoing description it is clear that I have'provided a theater wherein the auditorium accommodating the audience or spectators is adapted to be turned about the a so the appended center of an annular stage extending over the greaterpart' of the periphery of the theater, so that it i's possible-to place'the-spectators successively facing difierent parts of the Q stage havi'ng'thereon diiierent scenes or tableaux. In this way,by placing the scenery I inj'chronological order insu'ccessively adja cent sectionsoi the" stage, itis possibleto present a series'of scenesor acts without'inter-- ruptlon or delay lncldent to change of scenery as is necessary in a-conventional theater.

Moreover, the entire absence'of stage noises lncident' to moving scenery between scenes -and acts adds greatly to the illusion and: en-* jny entofthe play. I

Arpanoramic scene may be made to appear to the spectators bytur in the hall slowly so that they never lose sight of the performersf It is likewise possible,- to obtain a different panoramic effect byseparating the two-halves of the curtain'to the extreme limit 'so as'topermit the jspectators', by turning theirheads from one side of the theater to the other, to see the entire eXtentof the stage.

In this case, also, the'auditorium may be rotated slowly to facilitate the View of-the spectators; I By providing a continuous uninterrupted ceiling-overlstageand auditorium, not only a are superior acoustic eflectssecured but it is also possible to project upon the ceiling clouds and other-images, giving the illusion of natural phenomena, such as sunr ses, sunsets or similar efiects.

7 By Inoun'tingthe auditorium on a float turned by water propellers, there is secured a noiseless and 'vibrati'onless movement of the auditorium which-greatly adds ,to the illusion of the 'stage'moving instead of the auditorium when-the latter is rotated-.

While I have shown and described the preierred enibodinient of my'invention, I wish itfto be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that manychahges and variations maybe made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spiritof the invention, or exceeding the scope of claims. r

Iclaim: J c

1. In atheater, a central floating-rotat- V able auditorium surrounded by a stationary I annular'st'age, a 'circula r rotatable acoustic l ceiling,'a tankv adjapted to float the auditorium, ayalve .for controlling the flow of fluid to maintain the auditorium at a desired level,- and: meansstor rotating the circular V 2. In a theater, a central floating rotatable V auditorium surrounded bya stationary 'annular stage, a rotatable acoustic ceiling positioned above the auditorium,ra ceiling of parabolic configuration positioned above the 15 g nd adapted "to present a continuous uninterrupted surface with the auditorium I ceiling, a tank adapted to float the auditorium, a valve forcontrolli'ng the flow of fluid to maintain the auditorium at adesired level I and means forrotating the circular ceiling f covering the auditorium. it

7 '3." Ina theater, a central floating! rotating auditorium surrounded by a stationary an nular stage, a rotatable acoustic ceiling'positionedabove the auditorium, a ceiling of 7 y parabolic configuration positioned above the stage and adaptedto present'a continuous uninterrupted surface with the auditorium ceiling,an, annular draw' curtain" between I said'auditorium andstage adapted to .be rotated in unison with" said auditorium and tatably IHOIIIItGd'flbOVG said auditorium, a

draw curtain suspendedfrom said'ceiling' so" as to surround the auditorium, and means associated with said auditorium, and false ceiling and 'curtainfor rotating the ceiling, and curtain in unison with said auditorium.

5'. A theater building comprising 'a fixed annular stage, a circular rotatable auditorium in the center of said stage, adrawcurtain suspended from aceiling of said auditoriu'm'so asto surround-'the'same and form "the walls thereof,- and means associated with the *auditorium and ceilingfor rotating the 'curt'ain in unison with the auditorium.;- v a 6. Ina theater, a'central floatingSaudi-f torium surrounded a stationary annular "stage, a false circular ceiling rotatably mounted above said auditorium,'a trackway carried by said ceiling, a plurality of equal- '7 lyspaced rollers secured to toggle arms mounted upon sa'idtrackways, anIannular draw curtain suspended from said"toggle arm, said curtain adapted-tosurround said auditorium,-means connected to said toggle armsfor opening and closing said draw curtain, and other means associated with the au: 'ditorium and ceiling for rotatingtliem together invfixedrelation- With'respect to each other;

.7. In atheater, a fixed annular stage, a

liquid reservoir formed in the center of said stage, a plurality of baifle plates posi tioned around the periphery of said 'reser-:

voir, a float positioned in said reservoir, an

auditorium on theflo'at, a plurality of shafts extending through saidifloa-t and into the reservoir, propellers'mounted upon the ends oif said shafts within the reservoir, means with-in the float for rotating said propellers 7 so as to 'cause the "auditorium to' rotate,a ceiling rotat-ably 'mou-nted above said aud-itorium, a draw curtain suspended from said ceiling so as to form the walls of said auditorium, and means associated with the auditorium and float and the ceiling for causing the ceiling to rotate in unison with the auditorium and float. V i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR J. MOULTON. 

